1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to liquid dispensing bottles; and, more particularly, to such bottles having an integral applicator as a brush or dropper for removing liquids therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bottles having built-in brushes or the like for removing or dispensing liquids or other fluids therefrom, such as fingernail polish, are well known in the art. In such prior art bottles, a cap is usually threaded onto the neck of the bottle and contains a sub-assembly serving as a seal when the cap is thre aded tightly on the bottle and also containing a brush or liquid removing tube or dropper extending into the bottle. The latter extends into contact with the liquid in the bottle and is used to both remove the liquid therefrom and serve as an applicator. In actual use, the cap is merely placed on the bottle and not threaded down to the sealing point. Obviously, then, the applicator does not go all the way down into the bottle and it is necessary to tilt the bottle to get at the contents (at least, contents at any point below the extent of the applicator into the bottle when the cap is unscrewed therefrom). The applicator cannot always remove all the contents even when the bottle is tilted and the fluid not reached by the applicator is discarded. The quantity of such waste can be as high as 30%. It is time consuming to screw the cap down each time to reach the liquid and, normally, two hands are necessary. Thus, it is not usually done in either domestic or commercial use.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,756,749 to Munday, a fluid dispenser is provided having a flexible diaphragm to permit motion of the applicator in all directions to get at the fluid in the bottom of the container; however, leakage between the cap and bottle might take place in such an arrangement. Similar flexible diaphragms are provided in the dispensers of Hendry et al in U.S. Pat. No. 2,517,663 and Robineau in U.S. Pat. No. 2,913,017. Such diaphragms are expensive to manufacture and may clog in use.
There is a need for a dispensing bottle whereby little if any liquids are wasted and substantially all liquid can be quickly and easily removed.